Tag:budgets

There’s been a lot written about this year’s state budget, and there will be more. That’s what happens when you’re dealing with a 438-page bill allocating $24 billion. A lot of money, a lot of competing interests, a lot of detail. I looked at local government allocations in the budget previously, and it comes…

While teacher salaries generally dominate employee benefit discussions during budget debates, other state employees stand to receive higher pay. But the House, Senate, and Gov. Roy Cooper all have different notions about how much to increase compensation. Cooper’s budget includes an across-the-board salary increase of 2 percent or $800, whichever is higher.

Local budget debates this year have illustrated a striking pattern: counties are pretty much holding the line on taxes, while cities are hiking them. This shows the importance of keeping North Carolina's politicians on a very short leash.